Make Socks / Mend Socks, 2022

I realize it’s a bit late to be sharing plans for the “new year”, but there’s still a few days left in January, so I’ll squeeze these in under the wire.

I love wearing hand knit socks, nearly the whole year round. In fact, it’s pretty rare I wear any other type of socks. And while I like to knit them, I like knitting garments a whole lot more. My love of garment knitting + general lack of knitting time means I’ve not been adding many pairs to my sock drawer, even as I wear my handknit socks all the time. And I’ve not been mending my hole-y socks. The result is an ever growing mending pile, with an ever diminishing rotation of wearable socks, that then get more wear. A vicious cycle!

So, even though I’m not much for new year’s resolutions, at the beginning of the year, I came up with a plan to replenish my sock drawer. Every month, I’ll strive to add a pair of socks to it. It could be by finishing a languishing sock WIP, by mending a pair of socks, or maybe even starting and finishing a pair of socks in the same month. Hopefully, by the end of the year, I’ll have a more robust sock drawer, without feeling like I’ve done nothing but knit socks in 2022.

Perhaps you’d like to join me? I realize it’s a bit late for January, but maybe you have already knit a pair of socks this month, or you have a quick mending job you could knock out for this month? Or maybe you’d like to set yourself some totally different make/mend parameters? I’m going to share my progress here and on Instagram using the hashtag #MakeSocksMendSocks2022 … if you’d like to join in, I’d love the company.

Here’s the pair I’ve been working on this month: the Moorland Socks by Jen Arnall-Culliford knit in brilliant yarn from Fab Funky Fibres. These are plain socks with a garter short-row heel … I’ve already tried this heel on another pair of socks, and I love it. Like a hug, but for your heel. That gorgeous colourway was a custom-dyed colour for A-C Techniques and has long sold out, but if you’re after the pattern, you can find it in Confident Knitting. If you’ve not heard, we’re currently in the process of winding down the business, and everything is currently on sale. At time of writing, the yarn is all gone, but there’s some awesome books, so if you’re looking to expand your knitting reference library + some great patterns to boot, have a peek. The only thing not on sale is Confident Knitting.

I’ve finished my Moorland Socks since I snapped this picture. They’re currently having a nice soak in the blocking bath. Now to decide what socks I’ll work on for February … I’m in the mood for a new cast on, perhaps with one of these lovely stash yarns. And who knows, I might even fit in mending a pair of socks before this month is out (my more ambitious plan was to make and mend a pair of socks each month, but I quickly realized a bit more flexibility would make things more achievable). We’ll see!

Thanks for stopping by this corner of the internet, sporadic as posts may be! I’m hoping to spruce up this space and spend more time here, but also conscious of having said that many times before, so for now, I’ll just say, happy sock knitting!